Be sure to vote. For America

It may seem odd that this column is appearing in the paper a full week before the election, but for many of our readers, this issue will be the last one before Nov. 6.

I don’t care what party you are in or what issues you support (or not), not voting really should not be an option. It’s like watching a football game but not rooting for either team. What’s the point?

Similarly, not voting shows you just don’t care about the country around you, and you’re not invested in where it’s headed.

I find it curious how the basic tenet of our nation – the right to vote – isn’t held in more esteem. It was the founding principle of our democracy and set us apart from all other countries. It’s the one saving grace when someone we don’t like gets into office – if he’s no good, in four years we can vote him out. It makes politics bearable. And yet many, many people don’t bother to even register to vote, let alone actually attempt it.

And it’s so easy! If you can’t get away Nov. 6, election officials have made it simple to vote. There’s absentee voting and early voting, which have been going on for weeks now. There’s still time to vote early!

Maybe if we made election day a holiday more people would vote? Or maybe even fewer would, instead going out to party or sleep in or whatever else people do on their day off. I’m not sure. For this year, at least, that’s not an option. Maybe next time?

In North Fulton, the Ocee Library is open for early voting until 7 p.m. Nov. 2. It opens at 7 a.m. and allows voting each weekday. See how easy they make it for people to vote?